Beverage distribution system with ergonomic retention of drinking recipients, and process of operation thereof

Abstract

A beverage distribution system for preparation of espresso coffee and similar aromatic beverages, including a drinking recipient (1, 1′), for example of glass, cup, or similar type, a beverage discharge disposition (2) operatively associated with a beverage preparation device (3), whereby the beverage discharge disposition (2) is provided so that the beverage discharge flow impinges, along a direction opposite to the gravity force and with a given flow pressure, and a flow regulation mechanism (13) on the drinking recipient (1, 1′), whereby the drinking recipient (1, 1′) presents a recipient retention mechanism (17) provided so that the drinking recipients (1, 1′) can only be placed on the recipient placement support (22) in one or two previously defined angular extensions with relation to the beverage discharge disposition (2).

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A system for the preparation of beverages comprising:
 at least one type of drinking recipient comprising a base wall having a flow regulation device that is a single-way valve, a sidewall that develops upwards confining a beverage collection space and a top opening around a longitudinal axis (X), and a recipient retention device that is formed by a radial projection extending toward the longitudinal axis or a radially oriented cavity, the retention device located below the base wall; 
 at least one type of beverage apparatus presenting a beverage discharge comprising a beverage discharge element configured to discharge a flow in a direction opposite that of the gravitational force, and a recipient placement support including a support retention device that is formed by a radial projection extending away from the longitudinal axis or a radially oriented cavity complementary to the recipient retention device and thereby configured to engage the recipient retention device, 
 
       whereby said recipient and support retention device is provided along a direction transverse to the direction of the flow from the beverage discharge element and in a reciprocal engagement configuration and are adapted to provide retention of said drinking recipient by a rotational movement of the drinking recipient around said longitudinal axis, between a recipient placement position (I) on said recipient placement support and a recipient retention position (II) where the drinking recipient is retained by said support retention device; 
       wherein 
       said drinking recipient and said beverage discharge are adapted so that at least one of the following exists:
 said drinking recipient can only be disposed on said placement position (I) in one or two previously defined angular positions with relation to said beverage discharge, and 
 on said placement position (I), at least part of the base wall sits upon said beverage discharge at least along an extension that surrounds said flow regulation device, along a direction orthogonal to the direction of the flow from the beverage discharge element; and
 wherein the recipient placement support comprises an outer circumferential wall having a distal upper rim and a support central portion located in a central region of the recipient placement support interior to the outer circumferential wall and recessed below the distal upper rim, and wherein at least a portion of the support central portion provides a leak-tight seal with the flow regulation device when the recipient is in the recipient retention position; and 
 wherein the support central portion comprises a horizontal support surface recessed below the distal upper rim, the horizontal support surface lying in a plane above the support retention device and extending radially to a radial perimeter of said support central portion. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the flow regulation device is retained in a stationary manner on a region upstream of a flow passageway so that an exterior portion of the flow regulation device extends outwardly along a direction generally transverse to the direction of the flow from the beverage discharge element, and is adapted to provide flow sealing with relation to said beverage discharge element, 
 and 
 said recipient retention device and support retention device are adapted so that, on said retention position (II), said exterior portion of flow regulation device interacts with and is compressed along the prevailing flow direction by said beverage discharge, by an upwards-oriented surface of said support central portion, thereby providing sealing of flow in the interface of the drinking recipient with the beverage discharge element, and said recipient retention device and support retention device are provided so that a retention position (II) corresponds to a reduction of level of the drinking recipient relative to the beverage discharge and to the placement position (I), where the flow regulation device are in the vicinity of said beverage discharge, said level reduction being only enough to thereby exert a compression force upon said flow regulation device. 
 
     
     
       3. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said drinking recipient presents one or two of the recipient retention device that develop inside a cavity confined above by a free surface of said base wall, from an edge region and along a respective angular extension, corresponding to a segment of perimeter of an edge portion of the sidewall on the base region of said drinking recipient, and
 said beverage discharge presents one or two of the support retention device that extend along a respective angular arcs that are bigger than respective corresponding angular arcs of the recipient retention device, and so that said recipient placement position (I) is only provided along one or two previously defined segments of angular extension of said support central portion, where the recipient retention device can pass between said support retention device, in a downwards movement along an at least approximately vertical direction, and said retention position (II) is achieved following rotational movement by at least a given angle around said longitudinal axis (X) from said placement position (I). 
 
     
     
       4. The system according to  claim 3 , wherein
 said one or two recipient retention devices develop along respective angular extensions, each one of at least 10° and up to 50°, and 
 said one or two support retention devices develop along respective angular extensions of at least 90° and up to 160°, 
 so that said retention position (II) corresponds to a rotation movement of said drinking recipient on said recipient placement support around said longitudinal axis (X), smaller than 110° from said placement position (I), and vice-versa in a rotation movement in the opposite direction. 
 
     
     
       5. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 at least one of said recipient retention device and support retention device is provided so that a retention position (II) can be reached from a placement position (I) only along one rotation direction. 
 
     
     
       6. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 at least one of said recipient retention device and support retention device is provided so that a rotation position (II) further includes a retention of type pressurized fitting of said recipient retention device on the support retention device, whereby said retention of type pressurized fitting is associated to the rotation movement between the placement (I) and retention position (II) that provides a user with an increasing resistance to the rotation movement. 
 
     
     
       7. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 said recipient retention device present at least one first edge along respective extension transversal to said longitudinal axis (X), that presents a first transversal section that is smaller and that gradually increases at least along the direction parallel to said longitudinal axis until a second transversal section of said recipient retention device, thereby presenting a wedge shape or similar, so that the retention position (II) is further provided by an engagement of type pressurized fitting of said recipient retention device on said support retention device. 
 
     
     
       8. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 said recipient retention device and support retention device are adapted so that the angular positions that provide a placement position (I) are provided, with relation to said recipient placement support, as at least one of:
 at least approximately in one of the second and third quadrants; 
 at least approximately mutually opposing; 
 in different quadrants; 
 in adjacent quadrants; 
 in a same quadrant. 
 
 
     
     
       9. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 said beverage discharge presents a recipient placement support confined on the outwards side by an exteriorly confining wall and on the inwards side by the support central portion, whereby when the space between said exterior and interior confining walls presents a ring-like shape with a free width that is bigger than the thickness of the edge wall of exterior perimeter of the drinking recipient and smaller than the transversal extension of said recipient retention device along part of their extension. 
 
     
     
       10. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 said recipient retention device develops as at least one of:
 outwards from an edge wall of the interior perimeter of said drinking recipient associated with the passageway opening, 
 inwards from an edge wall of exterior perimeter of said drinking recipient, so that the exterior surface of drinking recipient does not present any recipient retention device visible on the exterior surface thereof. 
 
 
     
     
       11. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 said support retention device is configured so as to engage in corresponding recipient retention device, and developing as at least one of:
 inwards from an exteriorly confining wall of said recipient placement support, and 
 outwards from the support central de portion of said recipient placement support, and on said placement position (I), at least most part at least of the peripheral region of said base wall in the proximity of said support retention device, sits upon said beverage discharge upon the support central portion. 
 
 
     
     
       12. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the support central portion develops in a radial extension from the top region of said beverage discharge element, and along a direction transversal to the beverage discharge direction, thereby forming the support surface for the base wall of said drinking recipient around said beverage discharge element, so that on in the placement position (I), at least most part at least of the central region of the base wall of drinking recipient sits in surface upon said support surface provided by said support central portion, whereby said support surface develops below of an exterior perimeter surface of said recipient placement support, and
 at least the exterior surface of said sidewall is provided inclined relative to said longitudinal axis (X), at least in respective base region that is adapted so that can be placed on said recipient placement support, whereby it is preferred when the beverage discharge also presents a wall that exteriorly confines said recipient placement support, also inclined with relation to said longitudinal axis (X). 
 
 
     
     
       13. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 said drinking recipient presents a recipient reference provided so that is perceptible by a user at least visually and references at least one angular position of the drinking recipient that provides a placement position (I) on said beverage discharge, in particular with relation hereto, whereby it is preferred when said recipient reference is provided as at least one of: an indicia and a constructive portion associated with said drinking recipient. 
 
     
     
       14. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 said beverage discharge presents at least one placement reference provided so that is perceptible by a user at least visually, whereby at least one first placement reference references an angular position that provides a placement position (I) of said drinking recipient on said beverage discharge, and a second placement reference that references at least an angular position that provides a retention position (II) of said drinking recipient on said beverage discharge, whereby it is preferred when said placement reference is provided as at least one of: an indicia, an information display and a constructive portion associated with said beverage discharge. 
 
     
     
       15. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 comprises at least one of:
 two types of drinking recipients presenting at least one of: different materials, different dimensions of collection space (A), different number of component pieces and different flow regulation device, 
 two different types of beverage discharge, 
 
 whereby said two type of drinking recipients present similar retention devices, and said two types of drinking recipients present different recipient references. 
 
     
     
       16. A process of beverage preparation, comprising the following steps:
 providing a beverage distribution system according to  claim 1 ; 
 placing a drinking recipient upon a beverage discharge in a placement position (I) corresponding to a previously defined angular position with relation to the beverage discharge, so that a recipient reference is at least approximately aligned with a placement reference provided on said beverage discharge; 
 rotating said drinking recipient by at least 15°, around said longitudinal axis (X) until reaching a retention position (II) on said beverage discharge, at which a portion of said flow regulation device is thereby compressed, along the direction of said longitudinal axis (X), against the support central portion; 
 injecting a beverage discharge flow (BD) through said beverage discharge as a result of the injection of a pressurized flow (FS) to a brewing device and with a flow pressure that is bigger than the pressure necessary for flowing through said flow regulation device; 
 rotating said drinking recipient in the reverse direction in the reverse clockwise direction, so as to progress back to said placement position (I). 
 
     
     
       17. The process according to  claim 16 , wherein further includes the step of displaying a signal to a user associated at least with holding of said retention position (II) of said drinking recipient on the beverage discharge. 
     
     
       18. The process according to  claim 16 , further comprising the steps of:
 retaining in removable manner said first and second recipient parts in an assembled condition, including by means of: 
 aligning an edge part of one of said recipient parts with an edge part of the other of said recipient parts, inserting a projecting part of an edge of one of said recipient parts in an opening part of edge of the other of said recipient parts, so as to align the initial positions of respective retention device of said recipient parts; 
 rotating at least one of said recipient parts around said longitudinal axis (X), by at least 10° and at most 100° and along a previously defined first direction, thereby progressing to a retention position of said recipient parts in an assembled condition. 
 
     
     
       19. The process according to  claim 16 , wherein
 the retention of said first and second parts on an assembled condition further includes the steps:
 pressing said recipient parts one against the other, before of said movement of rotating around said longitudinal axis (X), thereby elastically compressing said sealing means; 
 releasing said recipient parts at the end of said rotation movement, so that the latter spread apart under the action of the elastic force of the sealing means, thereby reaching the retention position of said recipient parts. 
 
 
     
     
       20. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the beverage apparatus is a machine for preparing espresso coffee.